Blessing in Disguise
by AndreaEssEmm
Summary: Looking for a little escapism, Janie is intrigued when a handsome young musician invites her back to his place after a gig.


The sound of the music wafted out as soon as Janie opened the door to enter the club. The sound was plaintive yet melodic, the words accompanying it describing a doomed relationship. Though she couldn't see him yet, Janie was able to discern that the singer's voice was masculine with a slight country twang to it. It was a voice that sounded sure of itself, yet slightly insecure in its emotions.

Janie let her eyes adjust to the smoky dimness of the club, giving her a chance to take in her surroundings. The club was small, outfitted with a bar, and a stage. A cluster of half-occupied chairs and tables was the only audience for the young man on stage. He was working his acoustic guitar into a frenzy, the urgency of the melody he was pulling from it matching the desperation in his voice.

"What'll it be?" the bartender asked when Janie took a seat at the empty bar.

"Shot of rye," Janie replied. "Please."

The bartender poured the shot, then went back to reading a battered dime store novel. Janie knocked it back, then turned her head to the stage to watch the singer perform. The song was winding down now, and he strummed the last few notes, letting them echo in the stillness of the club.

"That was 'Different Drum', one of my own compositions. Thanks for listening," he said softly into the microphone, before giving a slight nod when the sparse audience applauded him, Janie included. He stepped away to place his guitar back in its case before walking off the stage. An older man caught his arm before he could get any further, pulling him back to chat.

Janie watched them, taking the opportunity to eye up the singer. Since he was no longer hiding behind his guitar, she could see that he was tall with legs that seemed to go on for days, and a body that was slim yet fit. She couldn't help noticing that his worn-out blue jeans barely left anything to the imagination when it came to his taut ass, they were so tight. He talked animatedly with his hands, which were simultaneously fidgeting with the thick swoop of raven hair that was peeking out of a green woolen hat placed precariously on top of his head. Janie also noticed the sideburns that stopped just below his ears and figured the dude could probably grow a heavy beard if he tried. She watched as the older man threw back his head and laughed before clapping the singer on his shoulder. They moved out of sight, possibly to an office in the back of the club.

Having just slogged through another long day of work, Janie had stepped into the club for a drink, and maybe a song or two to take her mind off the upcoming project that her boss had assigned her to. She worked as an amateur photographer for the local newspaper, covering gritty news items such as farmers markets, the recent grand opening of a new ice cream parlor, and taking portraits of the graduating valedictorians at the local high schools. It wasn't exactly riveting or hardboiled news, but it was a step towards getting her foot in the door with the hopes of one day becoming a full-fledged photojournalist. It also wasn't exactly challenging work, but Janie had to start somewhere, even if it meant being assigned to photographing the kitschy dog show that was part of the town's upcoming summer festival.

She needed a little escapism, and maybe something to get her creative juices flowing. One could only photograph so many summer festival queens before wanting to pull her own hair out. She needed a damn break.

"Another shot?" the bartender asked, pulling Janie out of her reverie.

"Please," she replied. "Hey, who was the guy singing on stage? I liked his voice."

The bartender placed the refilled shot glass in front of her. "Oh, that's Michael Blessing. He's a good ol' boy from Texas. Says he came out to California to strike it big in the music scene."

Janie nodded and gave a slight grimace, being all too familiar with the story. She'd dated a few guys with their hearts set on being discovered, getting signed to a big label, and being hailed as the latest singing sensation. Even though one or two of her exes had a little talent, she couldn't say they'd made it big. It was tough work putting yourself out there, baring your soul, and hoping that if somebody wanted to help you out, they weren't going to screw you over in the long run. Janie had spent a lot of time hanging out at various open mic nights before letting her last paramour wander off into the black hole that boyfriends go to when they become exes.

"He's not bad," she said.

"And you ain't so bad yourself," said a drawling voice to her right. Janie spun around to find Michael sliding into the seat next to her, a crooked grin playing about his plump lips. She noticed that he'd taken off his woolen hat and stuffed it in his back pocket. "Hand me a beer, Sean."

"Way ahead of you, Mike," Sean replied, already setting an open bottle of beer down in front of him. He moved along to help another customer, leaving Janie and Michael alone.

"Like what you heard?" Michael asked after taking a long pull off his beer. He set the bottle back down on the bar and swiped some of the condensation that it left on his fingers down the slope of his softly aquiline nose. He glanced over at Janie and flashed a quick smile before turning back to his beer.

Janie shrugged before downing her shot. "I only caught your 'Different Drum' song, but I liked it. I hope that whomever you wrote it for is aware of your feelings."

"She is," Michael snorted softly before taking another swig of beer. "How'd you figger that was written about somebody?"

"It's not you, it's me. I'm not ready to be tied down. You'd be a lot happier if you lived without me," Janie paraphrased. "Those are some pretty heavy feelings there, man. You can't sing about something like that unless you've experienced it yourself."

"It's a cruel world out there," he shrugged. "Nobody said it was going to be kind."

Janie laughed. "Oh, come off it! Man, you talk like you've experienced every kind of heartache there is. How old are you anyway?"

"Twenty-four," Michael replied. "And you?"

"Twenty-two," Janie answered. "I'm Janie Kramer, by the way."

"Michael Blessing," he replied, shaking the hand that Janie had offered as part of her introduction.

"Is Blessing your stage name, or real name?"

The smirk Michael gave Janie let her know that he wasn't about to answer her question, or give away his secrets, though she had a feeling that Blessing was a pseudonym.

"Bartender tells me that you've come all the way from Texas. What happened? Get run off the ranch?"

Michael inclined his head slightly and winked. "Got tired of being a failure back home, so I thought I'd try my hand at being a failure in L.A." The playful gleam in his eye betrayed the seriousness of his voice.

"That's the saddest story I've heard all day," Janie laughed, wiping an imaginary tear from her eye.

"Ain't it?" Michael mugged back, his hooded hazel eyes looking right into Janie's blue-green ones. His gaze was intense, but not to the point where she found it off-putting. She could detect a weariness in his eyes, as if his upbringing had been anything but easy. As if he had been forced to grow up at a young age. The hint of sadness that she saw denoted his free-wheeling personality. Janie suspected that he'd probably worked hard at perfecting his façade. She couldn't deny that she suddenly felt a tenderness towards Michael and leaned in closer to him.

"Who hurt you?" Janie wondered aloud as she boldly reached out and stroked a fingertip along his left sideburn, before circling the tiny mole on his cheekbone.

Michael didn't lean into the touch, but he didn't flinch either. He sighed quietly as he closed his eyes, letting Janie, who was now delicately tracing the shell of his ear, silently marvel at his long eyelashes. He briefly turned away to finish his beer before fixing his gaze back on her.

"You wanna get out of here?" he asked. "I'm done playing for the night, and my place isn't too far from here. I'm really enjoying talking to you and would love to continue this conversation elsewhere."

Janie had a feeling that they might be doing more than just continuing their flirtatious back-and-forth, and honestly, she was intrigued. Michael's sloe-eyed gaze had ignited a spark of heat in her belly, and it'd been a long while since she'd felt any inkling of arousal. Her days consisted of work, work, work. Wash, rinse, repeat, with barely a chance to take care of her own needs and desires. She shrugged. What the hell? She was enjoying talking to Michael as well, and felt she was due for a little distraction.

"Let's go then," Janie announced, plunking a few bills down on the bar, enough to cover both of their respective drinks.

Michael got out of his seat and picked up his guitar case which he'd leaned against the bar and followed Janie out of the club into the cool summer night.

Once outside, he took a moment to set his guitar case down so he could untuck his long-sleeved plaid shirt. He smiled shyly at Janie as he unbuttoned it to reveal a T-shirt hawking the business of a garage in Dallas, Texas. "Playing sure makes me work up a sweat," he said, by way of explanation. Janie nodded, knowing full well what the term "work hard, play hard" meant.

After picking up his case, he took Janie's hand and lead her around the corner and into an empty alleyway behind the building. It was quiet, the noises from the nearby traffic muted by the tall buildings around them. He slowly backed Janie up against a brick wall before leaning down, his warm breath ghosting across her face, his free arm wrapping around her slim waist.

"You're a stone fox," Michael breathed before capturing her lips in a tentative kiss.

Janie responded eagerly, the feel of Michael's soft pouty lips against hers a welcome respite. It'd been too long since she'd been kissed by a good-looking guy. Michael parted his lips to gently press his tongue along the seam of Janie's lips, beseeching her, almost shyly asking for entrance. Janie gladly opened her mouth to him, allowing Michael to deepen and lengthen the kiss. She reached up to wrap her arms around his neck and pulled him closer to her, letting their hips align themselves. She shuddered at the contact before breaking the kiss to nuzzle her face into the side of his neck, wanting to breathe in his scent. Michael smelled like clean sweat mixed with a dab of motor oil, and something else that reminded her of fresh hay warmed by the sun. She couldn't exactly place it as her tongue poked out to taste the salt and tang of his skin, but it was a good scent, almost heady in a masculine way.

The groan Michael made as she gently nipped at the juncture where his neck met his shoulder was sweet music to her ears. She kissed her way from the side of his neck to the mole at the base of his throat, her tongue slowly circling it. She lightly scraped her teeth against his Adam's apple for good measure.

"Baby," Michael gasped, his accent becoming thicker. He tipped Janie's chin up towards him so he could kiss her deeply, his own tongue playfully stroking alongside hers.

Janie moaned, her knees nearly buckling at the skillful ease with which Michael kissed her. She could feel her panties growing wetter with each kiss. Her fingers traveled up the back of his head to tangle in his thick raven hair.

Michael pulled away; his lips slightly swollen, his breathing heavy. The glow of a nearby streetlight allowed Janie a good look into his eyes, his blown-out pupils telling her that he was just as aroused as she was.

"I'm serious," he said, "my place is nearby, that is, if you're down."

Janie chuckled, tucking a lock of her brunette hair behind her right ear. "Believe me darlin', I'm down," she drawled in a poor excuse for a Texan accent.

Michael smiled openly, revealing a mouth full of misaligned teeth. Janie had a feeling that he was self-conscious of this flaw, and therefore wasn't too free with his real smile. She found his snaggle teeth endearing and felt charmed that he was bestowing what was most likely a rare treat upon her. She couldn't help grinning back at him.

"Take me away, cowboy," she whispered.

Michael hefted his guitar case in his hand, then held out his free one for Janie to take. They walked for less than a block before arriving at a small apartment complex. Michael lead Janie up a flight of stairs to the top floor. He briefly let go of her hand so he could fumble his key into the lock.

"I live by myself," he explained. "No roommates."

"Must be nice," Janie replied, as she rented an apartment with two of her girlfriends.

"It has its moments," Michael shrugged as he showed her into a tiny one-bedroom apartment. Janie looked around, taking in the sparse furniture which consisted of a shabby couch, a beat-up coffee table, a small television situated on top of a small horizontal bookcase, and a card table outfitted with two chairs. It was Salvation Army meets bachelor chic. Just beyond the couch, Janie could see a short hallway that most likely lead to a bathroom and Michael's bedroom. She shivered slightly in anticipation when she heard him close and lock the door behind them.

"Do you want anything to drink? I think I have a bottle of Jim Beam around here, maybe a few beers in the fridge," Michael offered as he crossed over to the living area so he could turn on the standing lamp in the corner and open a window. The cool night air felt good on Janie's heated skin.

She shook her head. "I'm good."

"Me, too," Michael replied, stopping to stand in front of her. He had shed his plaid shirt and boots and was now clad in just his T-shirt and his jeans. Feeling uneven, Janie quickly stepped out of her strappy kitten heels before letting Michael take her in his arms again. His kisses were soft and yielding, with just a hint of hunger to them. Janie closed her eyes and slipped her hand underneath the hem of his shirt, her fingers grazing the soft hair that covered his belly. She ran her fingers through it until she reached the edge of his jeans.

Michael's mouth left kisses along Janie's neck, his tongue swiping along a clavicle before stopping at the swell of her breasts hidden beneath her sundress. He glanced up at Janie who nodded and sighed, "Yes."

His hands gently cupped her ample breasts, feeling the shape of them before sliding the spaghetti straps of Janie's dress down her tan shoulders. He hoisted first one breast and then the other out of the cups of her strapless bra. The string-calloused thumb of his left hand deftly worked one nipple to an erect peak, while his right hand continued to massage her other breast.

Janie moaned and raked her nails down Michael's back when she felt him lean down to tease his tongue along one of her hardened nipples. Her feet nearly gave out from underneath her when he alternated between her tits, broad swipes of his tongue tracing her sensitive areolas. She cried out when she felt him lightly grind one of her nipples between his teeth.

"Oh my God, Michael!" she gasped, her hips suddenly having a difficult time staying in one place.

Michael stopped his ministrations to kiss her mouth again. One of his hands caressed her hipbone before sliding down to cup her wet cunt through the fabric of her dress. Janie's eyes nearly rolled back into her head when she felt him extend his long middle finger to trace the outline of her nether lips.

"What do you want?" he whispered, his voice dropping an octave. "What do you need?"

"You…this…everything," Janie managed.

"Tell me," Michael encouraged, his teeth lightly grazing her earlobe as his finger continued to trace her.

"I want- oh! I want your cock inside of me. I want to taste myself on your tongue."

"Is that all?" he asked, his free hand slipping around to squeeze her ass.

"I want you to make me cum!" Janie cried out as she felt his finger beat a light tattoo against her clit. Somehow through the fog of her arousal, she was amazed that he was able to do this without removing her dress or her panties. Feeling bold, Janie snaked a hand down the front of Michael's body to fondle and squeeze the prominent bulge in his jeans. The groan that he let loose from deep in his throat sent a lightning bolt of heat straight to Janie's aching cunt.

"You sweet young thang," Michael rasped, his hands sliding up to cup and squeeze both of Janie's tits. "Keep rubbin' me like that and this'll be over before you know it."

Janie hummed, loving the weight and feel of him in her hand. She could tell he was big, the shaft of his cock pointing up towards his belly inside his jeans. "Where's the bedroom?"

"Yonder," Michael demurred, nuzzling his face into her neck before dappling soft kisses among the freckles on her shoulder.

Janie gently pushed him away and let him watch her shimmy out of her dress. He kept his eyes on hers as she reached behind herself to unhook her bra and let it drop to the floor. She stood before him in nothing but a pair of wet black panties.

Michael purred in the back of his throat before hoisting Janie up in the air, her smooth legs wrapping around his slim waist, and carrying her down the short hallway to his bedroom. Janie reveled in the feel of his strong arms around her body as he toed open the door. She drowned in the feel of his mouth devouring hers, his tongue exploring the heat and contours. She moaned when he held her up against the wall, grinding the hardness in his jeans against the wet crotch of her panties.

"Yes…" she pleaded, trying to get a little leverage to create more friction between them. "Michael…I can't…I need…"

"What do you need?" Michael asked as he kissed his way down her chest, his tongue pressing against the little freckle in the center of her sternum before taking the creamy peak of her right breast into his mouth and sucking hard, making Janie cry out in pleasure.

"I need you inside of me," she gasped, her nails scoring down his back. "I need you to fuck me."

"Not yet, darlin'," Michael shushed as he gently laid her out on his double bed before stepping over to switch on the little lamp on the nightstand, bathing the room in a soft glow. "I aim to take my time with you."

Janie watched with lust in her eyes as he slowly pulled up his T-shirt, revealing a flat belly and lightly toned chest. As he peeled off the shirt, she caught sight of the smattering of hair that covered his chest and belly, along with the dark tufts beneath his arms. Her breathing sped up as she watched him first unbuckle his belt, then deftly pop open and unzip the fly of his jeans before pushing them down his fuzzy thighs and kicking them away. Her vision grew hazy when she noticed the glistening head of his cock peeking out through the slot of his white shorts.

"C'mere," she beckoned, brazenly slipping a hand inside her panties to trail her fingers through the slick wetness of her aching cunt. If Janie possessed one sexual kink, it was that she loved to be watched while she touched herself. The blush that was creeping across Michael's chest as he watched her tease herself didn't go unnoticed.

"Oh, mama," he groaned as he crawled towards her on the bed. His hands slid up her legs before reaching up to ease her panties down and off. He stroked one of her knees as he guided her to keep them propped up before sitting back on his heels.

"Touch yourself," he instructed. "Make yourself even wetter for me."

Janie sucked in a short breath but obeyed his request, her middle and index fingers playing along her wet folds, spreading her slickness around.

"Keep 'em on me," Michael admonished when she tried to close her eyes. "Tell me how it feels."

"Amazing, forbidden," Janie sighed as she spread her labial lips open, her middle finger sliding in and out of her entrance before being joined once again by her index finger, her natural lubrication coating them. "I'm so wet!"

"That's it, baby. Work yourself for me, get those fingers nice 'n wet." Michael gave his cock a perfunctory stroke through his shorts, the pre-cum that he was leaking making the fabric grow damp.

Janie opened her legs a little wider, giving Michael a nice view of the fingers she was using to thrust in and out of herself, her heavy breathing mixing with the slick sounds that were being produced from her cunt. "I'm getting close."

"Not yet," Michael scolded, his Southern accent making Janie think of honey. He pulled off his shorts, his hard cock springing out and slapping against his lower belly.

Janie rocked her hips against her hand as she took in the sight of his naked body. She wasn't wrong about Michael being big, but she didn't consider that he might be thick as well. His cock jutted out proudly from a nest of dark curls, his heavy balls already starting to draw up tight against his body. He took hold of his cock and smeared the copious pre-cum around the purplish head with his finger before bringing it up to his mouth to taste himself.

"I like it when a woman watches," Michael said before licking his bottom lip.

"I want to ride you," Janie rasped, her fingers now dancing across her clit. The confidence with which Michael handled his body was a huge turn-on for her, and she could feel herself teetering on the edge of orgasm.

"You will," Michael promised as he continued to give his cock a couple of firm strokes. He moved closer to Janie and settled himself in the cradle of her quivering thighs as she continued to palm herself. "No more of that." He gently batted her hand away from her throbbing cunt.

Janie gasped as she felt him slide the head of his cock along her labia, up and down through her slickness which made his ministrations easier. She threw back her head and moaned loudly as she tried to angle her hips to grant him access. Michael leaned over and crushed their lips together in a searing kiss, their tongues battling one another for dominance. He nipped at Janie's bottom lip before kissing his way down the front of her body, his own sliding along the length of the mattress before finally stopping to bury his face in the sweet wetness between her thighs, his large hands holding her hips in place.

"Ohh! Michael!" Janie cried out as she tried to buck against him. "Don't fuckin' stop!"

Michael's tongue lapped at her wet folds, tasting her, before sliding up to circle her clit. He inserted first one, and then two fingers inside her as he sucked the little pearl into his mouth.

Janie arched her back, her fingers tangling in Michael's thick hair and pulling hard. She tried to grind her cunt against his face, but the hold that he had on her hips was too strong. She cried out as she felt herself tighten around the fingers that were expertly stroking her.

"I'm so there! I'm gonna cum!"

"Lemme hear ya," Michael growled before sucking harder on her clit.

"Fuuuuuck! Ohhh, M-Michael!" Janie howled as the force of her orgasm hit her at full speed. She threw her head back on the pillow as her entire body shuddered and quaked, completely falling to pieces beneath his mouth. "Mmmm…"

Only after Janie's aftershocks subsided did Michael finally bring his face up from between her thighs, his mouth and chin shiny with her juices. He removed his fingers from her, and Janie watched with a heaving chest as he sat back on his heels and brought those two fingers to his mouth, his tongue swiping out to lick them clean. She'd had previous lovers go down on her before, but never had she been with someone who seemed to enjoy performing the act and savoring the results.

"Taste," Michael whispered as he leaned over to press his mouth against Janie's. She kissed him hungrily, greedily sucking at the tangy seawater taste of herself on his tongue. She whimpered at the loss of contact when he stood up from the bed to rummage through the nightstand.

Janie pushed her bangs away from her sweaty forehead, taking advantage of the opportunity to admire Michael's naked body. There wasn't an ounce of fat on him, just hard lean muscle complemented by a tight ass she wanted to sink her teeth into.

Michael caught her openly ogling him and flashed a devilish grin. "Now comes the fun part," he purred as he rolled the condom down the thick shaft of his straining cock.

Janie shivered at his words. "How do you want me?"

Without answering, Michael took hold of her ankles and pulled her to the edge of the bed. He held onto her knees as he tilted Janie's hips up toward him and slowly entered her, groaning loudly as he became fully sheathed inside of her.

She moaned low in her throat as Michael arched his back and languidly moved his hips in a dirty circle, his balls brushing against her bottom as he did so. While she had never been a fan of being fucked with her legs up in the air, Janie had to admit that the angle was allowing Michael to hit her sweet spot again and again. She slipped a hand between her thighs and used two fingers to frame and spread her labial lips a little wider, giving Michael a sweet view of his big cock sliding in and out of her cunt.

"Shit," he drawled. "My lord, Janie you're so fuckin' tight!"

"You gonna make me cum again, cowboy?" Janie challenged, her fingers moving up to fiddle with her clit. She could feel the first little electric sparks of orgasm start to creep up her spine.

"I am, and I will," Michael declared as the speed of his thrusts started to pick up, his hair falling into his eyes. "I wanna feel you tighten around me when you do it."

"Michael!" Janie cried out as she rubbed her clit in time with his thrusts. "Deeper…go deeper, please!"

"You want it deeper then you gotta get on top of me," he instructed, his hands releasing Janie's legs so he could hold the condom in place as he pulled out of her.

"You're amazing," Janie whispered as she got up onto her knees to kiss him. She caressed his cheeks before running her hands through his sweat-dampened hair. Her tongue played with his for a moment before reluctantly letting him go so he could stretch out on the bed next to her.

"C'mon," Michael encourage as he lazily stroked his cock from root to tip. "Show me how much you want it."

Janie didn't need to be told twice as she straddled him, reaching behind herself to hold his dick in place as she eased herself onto him. Their twin moans filled the concentrated silence around them as Michael once again became fully seated inside Janie.

"You're so big!" she breathed as she slowly began to rock her hips to and fro. Never had a lover filled her so completely the way Michael was doing now.

"This is how I like to do it when I want to fuck deeply," Michael replied, his hands spanning Janie's hips to guide her, his thumbs resting in the hollows. He started thrusting up into her tight heat.

"Yes!" Janie let her head fall back as she moaned throatily. She started to rock harder, her swollen clit grinding against Michael's pubic bone causing some of the most delicious friction she'd ever felt.

"That's it, babe. Ride me good." Michael's hands squeezed her ass before sliding up her ribcage to cup her tits, his fingers toying with her nipples. "You dunno how hot you looking taking my dick right now."

Janie arched her back as she rode him, one hand placed firmly on Michael's chest to steady herself while the other reached into her wetness to stroke her clit. His upward thrusts were meeting her downward grinding perfectly; she was so lost in the sensations that her encroaching orgasm took her by surprise. "That's it! I'm gonna cum!"

"Say my name," Michael moaned. "Say it!"

"Oh yeah! Michael!" Janie sobbed as she came for the second time, the pace her rocking hips had set becoming broken and erratic as she ground down onto her hand.

"Beautiful," Michael declared as he watched Janie come back to herself. "Now it's my turn."

Janie gasped as he took hold of her hips and started to piston himself in and out of her. Her body feeling pliant, she grabbed onto Michael's shoulders to herself upright as he chased his pleasure.

"Unnh, yes! Ohh, Janie!" Michael cried out a moment later as he drove his cock deep inside of her and held himself there as his orgasm finally overtook him. Janie watched as he trembled and shuddered, his grip on her so tight it was bound to leave bruises. She loved the way Michael's face scrunched up at the height of his passion, his crooked teeth biting into his plush bottom lip.

Michael relaxed and opened his eyes, his gaze slightly out of focus. "Kiss me," he breathed, his voice full of wind.

Janie leaned down from where she was perched atop his slender hips and kissed him sweetly, letting her lips linger against his for a moment before letting him slip his softening cock out of her. She moved aside so Michael could sit up and deal with the condom he was still wearing.

"Get over here," he slurred softly after he'd laid back down beside her. He scooped Janie up in his arms and tucked her up next to him, his chin resting on top of her head. Janie kissed the mole at the base of his throat and closed her eyes. They laid wrapped around each other for a few minutes, their breathing evening out, the sweat on their bodies cooling.

"Did you enjoy yourself?" Michael asked, breaking the comfortable silence between them.

"Mm-hmm. Very much so," she replied, reaching up to run her fingertips along his jawline. She felt relaxed and a bit sleepy. "Thanks for the ride."

Michael chuckled and kissed her forehead. "Stay with me tonight."

Janie wasn't usually one to stay the night once the sex was over, but there was something about Michael which made her break her own personal rule and give in. He seemed less guarded now, and a little vulnerable, like he usually didn't extend the invitation to sleep over.

"Okay," she accepted, her eyes beginning to close. "I'll stay."

The last thing she remembered before drifting off to sleep was the way that Michael smiled at her: it not only warmed her heart, but her soul as well.

Janie woke up to a darkened bedroom, her need for the bathroom outweighing her need for sleep. She was briefly disoriented by her whereabouts before she remembered the mind-blowing sex she'd enjoyed with Michael earlier. Strangely, his side of the bed was empty.

Wonder where he went off to, Janie thought as she pulled on her crumpled panties and Michael's discarded garage tee.

She heard soft music playing as she came out of the bathroom, and followed its melody towards the living room. Michael was clad in his boxer shorts and seated on the edge of the couch, hunched over his acoustic guitar as he strummed it. Every now and then, he would stop to write down something in the open notebook on top of the coffee table. Though she couldn't make out the words, Janie could hear that he was singing softly to himself. Hoping not to startle him, she carefully curled up on the opposite end of the couch.

Michael strummed a few more notes before opening his eyes and smiling softly at her.

"Hi," he greeted as he set his guitar down next to the couch. "Did I wake you?"

"Not at all," Janie replied as she stifled a yawn. "What were you singing?"

"Just some ol' tune I've been working on. Can't quite seem to figger out what I want to say. Sometimes, the words are so jumbled it's hard to make sense of 'em, then I wish I could crack open my head and let out all the words and melodies inside of it."

Janie nodded in understanding; she was all too familiar with moments like those. Michael reached for her and pulled her across his lap, her head resting against his shoulder, his hand taking hold of hers. "Will you play it for me once it's finished?"

"I might." He looked as if he wanted to say more, but held himself back.

They sat in compatible silence, Michael gently stroking his calloused fingers up and down Janie's hand and along her wrist. His touch sent little tingles along her nerve endings. She heard him swallow before opening his mouth to speak.

"Nesmith," Michael said quietly. "My name is Robert Michael Nesmith, but I go by Mike for short. I guess I just want you to know that."

Janie was slightly taken aback by his openness, given how he'd merely smirked at her in response to her question about his name when they were sitting at the bar hours earlier. She stroked her fingers along his jawline, his dark stubble scratchy beneath them. "Will you continue to perform as Michael Blessing?"

Michael shrugged. "I'm not sure. I go back and forth over it sometimes."

"You should use your own name," Janie suggested. "You have too much talent to hide behind a pseudonym."

He nodded, his eyes staring off in silent contemplation. "You know, I saw an ad in the paper recently. A studio is looking for actors and musicians for a new TV show. Auditions are next week."

"You should definitely try out," Janie replied as she nuzzled into the side of his neck. "Even if you don't get cast, it might give you some exposure."

"You have a point," Michael agreed as he stroked his fingers up and down her back. He tipped Janie's chin up so he could kiss her heatedly, his hand reaching up to cup one of her breasts through the T-shirt she'd borrowed from him. "I think I'll do it."

"Will you remember us little people after you become famous, Michael Nesmith?" Janie jokingly asked as he shifted their positions so he could lay her out on the couch. She moaned as Michael eased her panties down her legs.

Michael chuckled as he kissed her inner thighs. "Absolutely, Janie Kramer. Let me give you something to remember me by first."

"And be sure to wear that green wool hat," Janie smiled as she gave in to the pleasure.


End file.
